Kendrick Lamar delivered his magnum opus, To Pimp A Butterfly, in March 2015 and since then, has remained in the public spotlight by doing a plethora of collaborations, including the recent “Walk On By” with Thundercat, and the compilation project, untitled, unmastered. Fans and critics alike have been salivating at the thought of a fourth album from the good kid and in a recent interview with T Magazine, the illustrious Compton native touched on what to expect from the forthcoming yet-to-be-titled project, which he said is “very urgent.”
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLddSkUxmPEC9P_X4_B2vAfHxYfGKKQeOd
“I think now, how wayward things have gone within the past few months, my focus is ultimately going back to my community and the other communities around the world where they’re doing the groundwork,” he said. “To Pimp a Butterfly was addressing the problem. I’m in a space now where I’m not addressing the problem anymore. We’re in a time where we exclude one major component out of this whole thing called life: God. Nobody speaks on it because it’s almost in conflict with what’s going on in the world when you talk about politics and government and the system.”
He then asks the interviewer if he has any children and the reporter says he has a 7-month-old daughter. Lamar used an analogy of having a child to describe what he wants the album to feel like.
“This is what goes on in my mind as a writer,” he said. “One day, I may have a little girl. And it’s a girl in particular—funny you should say that. She’s gonna grow up. She’s gonna be a child I adore, I’m gonna always love her, but she’s gonna reach that one point where she’s gonna start experiencing things. And she’s gonna say things or do things that you may not condone, but it’s the reality of it and you know she was always gonna get to that place. And it’s disturbing. But you have to accept it. You have to accept it and you have to have your own solutions to figure out how to handle the action and take action for it.
“When I say ‘the little girl,’ it’s the analogy of accepting the moment when she grows up,” he added. “We love women, we enjoy their company. At one point in time I may have a little girl who grows up and tells me about her engagements with a male figure—things that most men don’t want to hear. Learning to accept it, and not run away from it, that’s how I want this album to feel.”
Although this is as much detail as he would muster during the interview, it’s comforting to know more material from K-Dot will soon be on its way. Until then, revisit HipHopDX’s Breakdown below, which tackles “The Case For Kendrick Lamar.”
Cool, more political rap. Who’s gonna drop a rap album that just has banging beats, dope flows and shit? Like an old Jayz album, old 50 or even old ludcairz. Don’t get me wrong, kendricks dope but man… what I’d pay for him to make an album more like one of schoolboys , not beat wise or sound, but subject wise. Just more enjoyable and more playback value.
Yeah I really don’t want to hear black panther Kendrick.
love old ludacraiz
*Ludcairz
I don’t think he ever gonna just back to straight rapping with bangin beats. I think he f*cked Erykah Badu, Smh and everybody know what happens after she get a hold of a n!gga.
Lloyd Banks, Royce, Raekwon, Cyhi, Nas, Em. All dropping this year. Jay-Z will drop but it’ll be trash again.
We know the world is f*ck up. We wanna here some dope lyrics and beats to take are mind off this crap. Not music to make us think about it more. That’s what the news channels are for. We love Cornrow Kenny music, but come on man. Give us a break.
Hip-Hop has always been political. It was created by marginalized individuals as an answer to the poverty that they were experiencing. It is a reaction against an unequal system. Hip-hop legends are all political: KRS-One, Tupac, Run DMC, Public Enemy, Scarface, Kool G Rap, NWA, Nas, Gang Starr, Rakim, etc.
I know all that, but in this era K.Dot one of the few that can just snap on a beat and go bar crazy. Like how he did on J.Cole beat for Black Friday. I still listen and love to that song now. All his work is amazing but myself on some selfish shyt. I want him to drop those “Career damaging verses” for this album. Not just the political stuff. Even tho he makes those songs dope too. Dude talented af. Yo give me five bar crazy songs and five political songs and we good. I’m getting his album regardless lol.
I think the difference between those legends you mentioned and Kendrick is that they made political music that you could vibe and nod your head to. They could put out a great message and still have your neck snapping. TPAB had a great message, but half the songs you can’t bop your head to. That’s what was missing for a lot of people and thats what I miss from days past. They had better balance.
Kendrick keep the movement going, if niggas only new the black panther shit is really gangsta shit
I enjoyed TPAB but it was geared towards the black community most of the songs I couldnt relate to.
Same with me… I am Mexican tho so I understand the whole minority thing but tpab was very pro black
King Kendrick bitches. TPAB is a classic bc “my dick is big, my hair is nappy, my nose is round & wide. You hate me don’t you?” I can relate to that shit
I hope he gets some production from Rza… Kendrick would sound so hard on a gritty ass Wu style rza beat… Think how ill Kendrick woulda sounded on the so appalled beat?
Except RZA doesnt make dope beats anymore tho
It would be interesting to hear K. Dot on a RZA beat, but the Rza didn’t do So Appalled. That was Kanye, No ID, and Mike Dean.
The King of both Coast!
Kendrick , J. Cole & Logic are the kings of new school hands down!
Second that when it comes to the up and comers for sure
Don’t agree bout J. Cole but the other two are SUPER DOPE
Replace Logic with Vince Staples or Chance, but otherwise, agreed.
cant wait for this
Kendrick is literally what Drake will never truly be, a critically acclaimed legend. Everything dude drops is a near classic if not a future classic. Legit leader of the new generation
Idk kendrick better watch it dont make it too sophisticated these kids nowdays are really into those 5 year old style nursery rhymes like “bad and boujee” and any garbage gucci puts out…lmao
Good Kid Madd City Classic last record so so he needs get back to that type music instead preaching. GOAT not even close. Still needs 4 more classics be considered
Dope, looking forward to new shit. Thundercats new album is great.
Kendrick’s “Magnum Opus” is GKMC and if we being really really real, its Section 80.
TPAB was ok, yall be so hyped up in the message, the music still has to hit and there was alot of misses.
Bro, this comment made my day. Exactly what I been saying. The message is good an all but at the end of the day EVERYTHING has to come together. You can’t have a great album with just good lyrics nor can you have one with good just production. And TPAB’s production was lacking and borderline boring. I love Kendrick, but I’ll need another section 80 / GKMC to get me hyped again.
Mann alot of you are sounding like brainwashed slaves. If yall don’t wanna hear some real shit then go ahead and keep bumping lil uzi or Kodak. The rest of us appreciate a genuine artist that is already a legend in my eyes.
It doesn’t make us brainwashed slaves to like music thy has more playback value. Lemme put it this way. Dr dres the chronic and doggystyle are both amazing legendary albums, right? Both are not preaching messages, and are just enjoyable works of music.
Wasn’t replying to you. I was replying to G. DX is f#%king up this morning.
I think dudes like Kendrick and Cole take hip hop too seriously. Once and a while it’s okay to loosen up a little. They’re trying too hard to be hip hop’s saviour. I’ll pass on another “masterpiece” with no replay value.
Making music with real content and about issues that are current and important is what separates them and puts them in the category they’re in. It’s why their albums are classic and why they will go down as some of the best ever in hip hop. Neither of them is trying to save hip hop, the music they make does it on its own. It may seem to you like they are taking it “too seriously” but that’s probably because that’s what hip hop is to them. What do you want them to loosen up and do? Mumble and sing like Yachty and Uzi? Use autotune like Weezy? Sounds like you just want them to conform to all the other bullshit out there.
And on another note, they definitely both have “loosened up” plenty of times. “i” off of Pimp a Butterfly, “The Recipe” off GKMC “Wet Dreamz” off Forest Hills or even the Kendrick AND Jcole song “Forbidden Fruit”
Cole has no classics or critically acclaimed albums. He’s in his own lane, but there’s nothing special about him. In terms of them loosening up. They just don’t have that balance with it that the greats in the 90’s or even early 2000’s had. Its funny how if someone isn’t digging Kendrick or Cole they must be bumping mumble rap by lil’ this or savage that. I don’t know any of those fucktards.
Forest Hills was nominated for a Grammy, won at the BET Awards and the Billboard music awards – all with no features. I personally feel like these two are carrying the torch for dudes from the 90’s and early 2000’s. I 100% see your point about an album like Pimp a Butterfly and it’s playability, I very rarely listen to that album, and to be honest I’d love another album like Section 80 or GKMC I just respect the shit out of Kendrick for doing his thing and being so successful at it. It’s tough for me to think of any hip hop artist now that has the balance of the greats from the 90’s and 2000’s. I think those days are over.
If you ain’t feeling what Kendrick is cooking then listen to lil yachty. Kendrick and Cole are in tune with who they are and the effort they put into their music reflects that. I truly doubt either of them are trying to be hip hop’s saviour. They’re making music for the people who gotta struggle everyday. We need more artists like this.
Who is Lil yacthy?
I am curious to learn how Kendrick’s fans and friends feel about Mr. Barack “My Brother’s Keeper” Obama inviting Kendrick to his family’s White House home, praising Kendrick’s art…
…and then taking no meaningful action attempting to prevent more generations of young Kendrick’s from experiencing a criminally abusive childhood resulting with them maturing into admitted depressed, sometimes suicidal teens and adults creating American art and/or speaking in public about the traumatic, potentially life-scarring, abusive childhood they experienced and witnessed other American kids experience?
I’m referring to an abusive childhood that in his music and interviews Kendrick laments deprived him, his siblings, numerous cousins, as well as many neighborhood friends, elementary and JHS school classmates from experiencing a SAFE, fairly or wonderfully happy “Average Joe” or Josie childhood all American kids have an *absolute need* to enjoy during a critical period of childhood/human development.
“Kendrick Lamar Talks About ‘u,’ His Depression & Suicidal Thoughts (Pt. 2) | MTV News – YouTube April 2015”
Unfortunately, Kendrick, as well as many of his recording artist and urban story-TRUTH-teller peers are victims of an abusive childhood upbringing resulting with many truth-tellers maturing into angry, frustrated, depressed, sometimes suicidal thinking teens and adults composing musical art vividly describing Americas #T_H_U_G_L_I_F_E National HEALTH CRISIS.
“The Hate U Give Little Infants Fvvks Everyone” ~Tupac Shakur
Sadly, very few Americans, including Kendrick and his friend Mr. Barack “My Brother’s Keeper” Obama, wish to discuss #T_H_U_G_L_I_F_E’s remedy >>> #A_F_R_E_C_A_N
“America’s Firm Resolve to End Childhood Abuse and Neglect”
Peace.
Obama isn’t our president anymore and the problems you and kdot mentioned were put in place before Obama took office. Good try tho.